


Afraid to Say 'Hello...' (Mileven Week Day 1: Long Distance)

by N_Peggy (RJPhaNTom)



Series: Mileven Week 2018 [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Day 1: Long Distance, ElevenxMike, F/M, MikexEleven, Mileven, Mileven Week, Milevenweek2018, Modern AU, Part 1 of 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 00:56:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16545716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RJPhaNTom/pseuds/N_Peggy
Summary: "The reason why she was so hesitant may have been because she was so scared. This was her first relationship, one that just so happened to be with a guy who lived miles away from where she was."orA few weeks after returning to Chicago from Hawkins, El is hesitant to call her long-distance boyfriend.Day 1 of Mileven Week 2018: Long Distance and Part 1 of a series called Summer Lovin'.





	Afraid to Say 'Hello...' (Mileven Week Day 1: Long Distance)

It was the first day of senior year, Jane ‘El’ Ives’s eyes fluttered open, squinting from the sunlight that peeked through her bedroom window.

El let out a yawn, still curled up in her sheets, excited for the new school year, especially since it would be her last before high school graduation. However, mixed in with the excitement was a bit of longing, as El had spent her summer away from her home in Chicago and made her way over to the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, helping to plan, and be a part of her father, Chief of Police Jim Hopper’s upcoming nuptials to a woman named Joyce Byers.

To be fair, she had not seen her father since he had left her and her mother, Terry, when she was only three following their divorce, but she was surprised when she had received a phone call from him inviting her to Hawkins for the summer. Of course, she agreed, hoping to reconnect with her dad despite the years of absence and to get to know her new step-family.

El continued to lie in bed as she let herself reminisce about her summer vacation, having just returned to the city about a week before school was to begin once again. She picked up her phone to check the time, only for her gaze to land on its wallpaper. A picture of herself and a boy she had met during her stay.

Her heart began to beat fast as she continued to stare, a secret smile on her face. The reason for her state of longing was because of him, her finger tracing over his sharp nose, the freckles that reminded her of stars that sprinkled his face, his dark hair, dark lashes, and even darker eyes. She wished that he was here with her, but she knew that it wasn’t meant to be.

She remembered how kind and loyal he was; how despite the fact that he accidentally spilled chocolate milkshake all over her the first day they met, he still managed to help her get cleaned up and felt sorry for the incident.

A good chunk of her stay was spent getting to know him; meeting his friends; one of which was her new step-brother, Will, touring her around town, locating different places that he often frequented while also helping her find places she would find herself going to, his plans for college, where he would be attending NYU the upcoming fall season. She enjoyed every second she got to spend with him, so much so she started to develop feelings for him.

Then came the day he kissed her for the first time. It was at Lover’s Lake, under the stars, the night before her dad’s wedding. He had set up a picnic for the two of them, planned so that they could watch the sunset and look up at the stars when the sky grew dark. He had caught her completely by surprise, as that also happened to be her first kiss. El knew right away that she didn’t just gain feelings for him, but she had fallen in love with him.

How this boy managed to capture her heart was beyond her, but he hasn’t communicated with her since she left. Before she left Hawkins, the two had agreed on attempting a long distance relationship, promises of exchanging emails, phone calls and texts messages to keep it going, and so far, they were off to a rough start.

The reason why she was so hesitant may have been because she was so scared. This was her first relationship, one that just so happened to be with a guy who lived miles away from where she was.

There was a knock on her door, bringing the teen out of her thoughts. “El, sweetheart? Are you up yet?” she heard her mama call out. “Uh, yeah, I’m up.” El replied as she set her phone down, heaving her body off the bed before walking up and opening her bedroom door to greet her mother ‘good morning.’

“Okay, good, I have to head to work early today, your lunch money is on the table.” “Thanks, mama,” she leaned up to give her a kiss on the cheek, receiving a kiss on her forehead in return, followed by a quick exchange of ‘I love you’s’ before Terry was out the door.  
El noticed that she had a good hour and a half before she can drive over to school, so she took her time to get ready, all the while checking her phone for any texts, calls, or emails from her summer lover so that she wouldn’t have to make the nerve-wracking call.

While eating her favourite Eggo ® Waffles, she jumped when her phone rang, her hands scrambling to pick up the piece of technology, hoping it was him. But it wasn’t him; instead, her best friend, Max Mayfield’s name flashed on her screen. El just smiled and answered, trying her best to hide her disdain.

“Morning,” El mumbled, biting her thumbnail as she contemplated calling her boyfriend.

“Wow, morning to you too, Grumpy. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed last night or what?” Max teased. El rolled her eyes playfully, hearing the wind on the other end of the call.

“I take it you’re skateboarding over right now,”

“You bet your sweet ass I am! I’ll be there in 3...2...1…” The doorbell rang, prompting the teen to run to the door and let her redheaded best friend in. “Let me guess: either lover boy hasn’t messaged you since you came back to Chicago or you’re too chicken to contact him back.

El stuttered through her excuse. “Well, it’s Orientation Day for him, plus he seemed so excited and busy with going to a new school and all-”

“I call bullshit!” Max had made her way to the kitchen and had a warm, Eggo ® Waffle in her mouth. “You just haven’t made a move to message him yet! You’ve been doing the long distancing for what, a week? Do you love this boy or what?”

“Well, I-”  
“Give me your phone,”  
“What? No!”

“Yes! If you won’t message, call, FaceTime ® whatever your loving boyfriend and tell him you love and miss him, so help me!” “Okay, OKAY, just let me-” At that very moment, El’s phone went off, her boyfriend’s name appearing on the screen.

“ANSWER IT!” Max bellowed. “What if it’s a pocket dial or even a butt dial?!” El watched her best friend grab at her phone, answering it. “Hello, El’s phone! Oh, you’re looking for El! Of course, she’s right here!” Max smirked and pushed her phone back into her hands. “Now or never, toots,” she whispered as El put the phone to her ear.

“H-hey! How’s NYU?” she heard her boyfriend laugh on the other end and she felt her cheeks turn pink, her heart beating fast. “Orientation Day’s going great. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to contact you the last couple of days, all the flying, moving in and all that.” El felt her shoulders relax. “Yeah, I understand. College is important.” she walked to the living room so she could talk to him privately.

“I really am sorry, El. I’ll try my best to call you when I’m free-”

“No need to worry about me. Like I said: college is much more important. This has been your dream for ages! Just because you met me doesn’t make me important,” El insisted. There was a long pause, leaving El to wonder if he had hung up on her.

“Hello?”

“Yeah, I’m still here. Listen, El. When I said I wanted to do a long distance relationship with you, I meant it. I can’t picture myself with another girl, you’re the only one for me.” he confessed.

“But-” El started.

“No buts. I want this to keep going.” El felt her heart stop. He was willing to keep the long distance going? “I’m hoping I can come to meet your family when I fly to Chicago for Thanksgiving if that’s alright with her that is?” It took her a moment to reply.

“Y-Yes, of course. I’ll let my mom know. Hey, I have to go. I’ll call you tonight?”

“How about FaceTime ®? I miss seeing you,” El giggled. “Okay, sounds good. Just let me know when.”

“Will do. Oh, and El?”

“Yes?”

She listened as he took a deep breath. “I love you,” El’s eyes went wide, heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst. “I love you too, Mike. I’ll call you later.”

The phone call ended, El staring off into space with a lovestruck grin on her face. Maybe the long distance wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!
> 
> Here is the beginning of my contribution to kick off not just Mileven Week 2018, but to also pay tribute to Stranger Things Day! 
> 
> This, along with two other days during the course of Mileven Week (which ones, I guess you'll have to wait and see!) will intertwine with each other in a series I like to call 'Summer Lovin.' 
> 
> Tune in tomorrow for Day 2: Fate!


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